Moving In
by imaginationcraze
Summary: A story in which Nate asks Caitlyn to move in with him. Part of the "Steps in Life" series.


_Moving In  
><em>

Nate groaned as his phone rang. He rolled over in his bed and slapped his hand down on the bedside table. He searched blindly for his phone, muttering curses into the pillow when he hit his hand on the clock. "Hello?" He grumbled into the phone.

"_Nate, are you awake?"_ He instantly recognized the voice.

"If I wasn't awake, who are you talking to?" Nate's eyes opened for a fraction of a second to look at the clock. "It's three in the morning, Caity. Why are you calling me?"

"_Well... I was wondering if you could do me a favour..."_ She trailed off... unsure.

"I repeat, three in the morning. What is so important to call me now?"

"_Unless you want me to spend the night sleeping outside the studio where some hobo could come and kidnap me, I suggest you wake up and listen."_ She glared at the phone despite Nate not being able to see her.

"You're still at the studio?" Nate was suddenly, much more awake. "Why?"

"_The stupid _diva_ I was recording with refused to do anything because his producer was a _girl_."_

"Why didn't you drive?"

"_Mitchie dropped me off this morning... er... yesterday morning. I was planning on taking the bus, but it's three in the morning."_

"I'll be there in twenty."

"_Thank you!"_ Caitlyn grinned as Nate hung up. She had tried to call Mitchie, but Shane had promptly answered the phone and said they were in the middle of something and to never call back again. She didn't quite enjoy the mental picture now permanently etched into her mind.

Nate grabbed a quick change of clothes, having been without shirt and only flannel pajama pants. He was out the door silently, and tried to keep up that streak as he went down the hall. He didn't want a cranky mom yelling at him for waking her up, worse, for waking up her children.

Neither said a word as Caitlyn got in the car. It was only when Caitlyn asked him what time he went to sleep was the silent broken.

"Does it really matter what time I went to sleep? I'm still awake now."

"Yes it does. If you went to sleep earlier, I wouldn't feel as bad for waking you up. If you went to sleep later... actually... you're right, it wouldn't matter. I still wouldn't feel _that_ bad." She grinned and winked at him.

"Either way, I'm not driving you across the city to your flat, you'll just have to make do with mine."

"Alright, I suppose I'll just have to live with it."

"Why were you in the studio anyways? I would have assumed that everyone recorded everything AGES before Valentine's Day."

"Kid had surgery, wasn't allowed out for months, so they had to record and edit everything today. I was the only producer in town."

"Mind if I steal one of your shirts?"

"Don't you usually just steal and not care whether I mind or not?"

"I figured that I owed you _some_ decency for waking you up." Nate nodded his head as he threw one of his shirts and larger sweatshirt at her.

She promptly changed in the bathroom as Nate crawled back into bed, too tired to even change. She crawled in next to him and snuggled up next to him as he draped an arm across her.

"You should just move in with me." He whispered into her ear quietly, but Caitlyn was already asleep.

_xxx_

"I love Movie Marathon Night." Caitlyn hugged the bowl of popcorn to her stomach. Nate laughed as he pushed the disc in the DVD player.

"I know, I know, that's why we're doing this again. " He pressed play and sat down on the couch next to her, grabbing a pack of Sour Patch Kids as he got comfortable. He placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "Five movies, one night, we'll be asleep by the second one."

"Nah, I bet by the third. We're stronger than that." Nate laughed and fed her a piece of candy.

"You just keep thinking that."

It was proved that neither of them was correct. They fell asleep during the fourth. He was lying on the couch with her on top of him and both were out like a light.

"Ergh..." Caitlyn groaned as she blearily looked around, before noticing Nate underneath her. She rubbed her eyes and laughed at Nate's mussed up hair. She pulled at a curl on his head to wake him up.

"Leave my hair alone, Caity." He swatted her hand away with his and stuffed his face into the back of the couch.

"Wake up, Nate!" She pulled his shirt as she stood up. "You gotta drive me back home, since you NEVER let _anyone _take your car." She shook his shoulder again. "I'll make you coffee." She wagered. "Coffee just the way you like it."

"Just move in with me, you stay here enough as it is." But she hadn't heard him. His voice had been muffled by the cushions on the couch.

_xxx_

Caitlyn jumped as the thunder rumbled on again, and buried her face into Nate's shirt.

"Shh... It's alright, Caity, I'm right here." He stroked her hair with his hand absentmindedly. "It's a really good thing you came over today, isn't it?"

Caitlyn nodded, still trembling. She'd had a horrific experience when she was younger, and had been slightly scared of thunderstorms every since.

"I'll protect you, Caity, just like you'll protect me from spiders." He smiled in relief as she laughed. "There's that smile." He picked her up in his arms and walked to the kitchen, setting her down on top of the counter. He grabbed two cups from the cupboard as she watched. "Chocolate always makes you feel better, doesn't it?" Without waiting for her reply, which he already knew, he quickly made two cups and made sure to put extra whipped cream in hers.

"Thanks," She sipped it quietly and hopped off the counter, careful not to spill any.

"To my room!" Nate pointed in the general direction and gave Caitlyn a small push. "And AWAY!" He pretended to be the superhero he clearly wasn't, but it got a chuckle out of Caitlyn. That was all that mattered.

The two settled down on his bed and Nate placed a computer on his lap. Together, they surfed the web until sleep took its toll. Unfortunately, sleep didn't last.

Caitlyn was jolted awake as another crack of thunder was heard. Nate immediately pulled her into his arms and muttered calming words into her ear.

"It's nothing, Caity, just a little thunder. I'll protect you, I always will. Just stay with me."

"Thank you, Nate."

"How about you move in with me? That way, I'll always be there." But she had already fallen back asleep.

_xxx_

"Hey Nate," Caitlyn plopped down into the seat next to Nate.

"What do you want?"

"What? I can't talk to my boyfriend now?"

"You can, you just have that, I-want-something-and-I'm-gonna-get-it look on your face."

"Heh." Caitlyn smiled sheepishly. "I was wondering if I could stay over for a few days, cause you know, my land lord decided to kick me out. I just need a place to stay for a while."

"How about..." He took one of her hands in his and leaned in to her ear, as if telling some big secret. "You just move in with me." He pulled away quickly and gave her a thoughtful look.

"Move in with you?"

"Yeah, you stay over enough as it is. Just move in with me. This way, I don't have to drive you back late at night, and I get to spend more time with you."

"So what you're saying is, that this is just some huge benefit to you and it doesn't matter what I think?"

"Well... you have to accept the invitation don't you?"

"I suppose..."


End file.
